Electric safety appliance.



C. A. BENEDICT.

ELECTRIC SAFETY APPLIANCE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JAN. 25, 1913.

Patented Ja11.26, 1915.

2 SHEETS-BHEBT l.

WITNESSES G. A. BENEDICT. ELECTRIC SAFETY APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1913.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

} INVENfOR & ,fivAttomey WITNESSES CHARLES A. snnnmo'r, or BELLVALE, NewYORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ELECTRIC SAFETY APPLIANCE.

Patented Jan; 2'6; 1915'.

Application filed January 25, 1913. Serial No. 744,115.

1 b all whom it may concern:

ie it known that I, CHARLES A. BENEDiCT, a citizen of the United States,residing at iellvale, in the county of Orange and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Safety Appliances,of which the following is a specification. V r

My present invention relates to electrlc safety appliances particularlyadapted for use with apparatus. such as telephones, arranged forlow-tension currents, whereby they are prevented from injury by acurrent of dynamic electricity of abnormal strength. or staticelectricity conducted by connections in operative relation to suchapparatus.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide an apparatus of thecharacter de scribed which will permit the static electricity to jump orbridge certain conductors remote from the apparatus protected, and

'to provide means whereby currents of abnormal strength are shunted fromsuch apparatus. but the main conductors brought into operative relationto the apparatus after the strength of the abnormal current subsides. v

Other objects of my invention will appear in the following detaileddescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,,foi'ming a part of this specification, innvhich drawings: H

Figure 1 is a plan View constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 isa s de elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same. Inthe drawings where simil'ar'characters refer to similar parts, Adesignates a suitable base ofinsulating material, carrying main lineconductors B and C, which in the example shown are in the form ofbinding posts. Gap providing means D is disposed int'eriiiedia'te'conductors B and C for controlling static electricity. This means D mayinclude suitable standards} and 5 mounted upon base A and carryingcoaxial conductors 6 and 7, respectively. In the example shown theconductors are in the form of set screws having threaded engagement withthe standards and adapted to be manipulated through heads 8. to adjustthem .for the provision of a gap 9 of the desired length. Conductor B issuitably connected \vithst'a'ndard 4 by conductor 10, w ile conductor Cis suit-ably connected. wit" standaid 5 through conductor 11, bothconductors 10 and 11 being embedded in or carried bybase A. v

The, conductors for the leads of the apparatusto be protected aredesignated by E and Fancl in the example shown are also in the form ofbinding posts carried by base A. In operative relation to means I) andconductors andF, provide mechanism (r I for control of currents ofabnormal strength. This mechanism G includes a circuit breaker 12 onepoint 13 of which is conductively connected with conductor E as throughwire 1%, while the other point 15, which, in the example shown, is inthe form of, an armature, is conductively connected with a standard 16as through a wire 17.

In order to conductively connectstandard 1G with one of the main lineconductors, the current must traverse a fine threadlike conductor 18 oneend of which is adiustably connected to the standard as by set screw 19.This conductor 18 controls theposition of an oscill atable lever 20,carried by framework 21 and operatively connected with main conductor Bas through Wire 22, by ha vi'ng its other end rigidly connected withsaid lever remote from its pivot point. As disclosed in the drawings,lever 20 has trunnion-like extensions 23 one of which rests in astep-bearing 24 and the other is carried by, a set screw 25 passingthrough frame 21. It is tobe noted that conductor C is in condpctingcommunication with conductor F through wire., 26 andthat the circuitbreaker 12 includes a set screw 27', carried by element 13, and normallycontacting with point or armature 15. Thus, a current of normalstrength, is. conducted successively through conductor B, standard 4,wire 22,

step-bearing 24, lever. 20, conductor 18. standard 16, wire 17, circuitbreaker 12, and wire H to conductor E. From this latter conductor thecurrent passes throughthe apparatus protected to conductor F, throughwire 26 and on through conductor C. v

In operative relation to armature l 5 ,is disposed the core 28 of anelectro-magnet 29 which also has a core extension 30 opposite fromtheextension of core 28. The lever 20 carries a contact 31 and anarmature 32, the latterof which is for coacti-on with core extension 30.For coaction with contact 31 is an adjustable contact 33 car; ried by,standard 34:, this contact 33 being in conducting relation with the coilofelectip-magnet 29 as through wire 35. The 0pposite end of the coil ofthis electro-magnet is in communication with conductor C as so thatthese elements do not engage when the appliance isinactive, or when acurrent of normal strength is being conducted by this thread-likeconductor. The means 37 may include a standard 38mounted upon base A, aset screw 39 adjustably carried by said standard, and atension spring40.

operatively connecting the set screw and lever 20.

The operation of the appliance is as follows :-Should either conductor Bor C carry static electricity, the same bridges or jumps from one of theconductors 67 to the other, seeking the path of least resist- Should acurrent of abnormal strength enter the appliance, when first passingthrough thread-like conductor, it will heat the same, causing it toelongate and permit contact 31 to engage contact 33. Immediately thecurrent is shunted and passes through the ele'ctro-magnet drawmgarmature 15 toward core 28. This action breaks the circuit at device 12and the-current passes on through conductor C. It s to be noted thatwhile the electro-magnet is energized the armature 32 will be 'held incontact with coreextension 30 holding contacts 31 and 33 in engagement,Inasmuch as the current is no longer conducted through element 18, thesame cools and contracts to some extent. Any suitable means may beprovided to compensate for this contraction, such as constructing thelever 20 of yieldable material. As soon as the strength of the currentsubsides the tension of conductor 18 is such as to withdraw armature 32from core extension 30 and the circuit is broken between conductors 31and 32. This action permits armature 15 to return to a normal positioncompleting the circuit through conductor 18 and wires 14 and 17.

'Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit orscope of my invention; but,

I claim 1. In an electric safety appliance, the

ing contact only when said conductor is so expanded; means forconnecting the other point of said circuit breaker with the'apparatus tobe protected; and, means for connecting the other lead of saidelectromagnetic means with the other of the main conductors,substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

2. In an electric safety appliance, the combination with two mainconductors, of a circuit breaker having two points normally inengagement, one of which points being constructed to serve as anarmature; an electro-magnet having its core in operative relation to thesaid armature points of said circuit breaker; two contacts, one of whichis in conducting communication with one of the leads of the coil of saidelectromagnet; a movable member carrying the other of said contacts; aconductor for communication with one of the main conductors, expansibleto a material degree when carrying a current of abnormal strength, inconducting relation to one of the points of said circuit breaker and thesaid contact of said movable member, and operatively connected with thelatter to permit the said contact carried thereby to engage its coactingcontact only when said conductor is so expanded; means for connectingthe other poi-Tat of said circuit breaker with the apparatus to beprotected; and, means for connecting the other lead of said electro-mag-8 net with the other of the main conductors, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

3. In an electric safety appliance, the combination with two mainconductors, of a circuit breaker having two points normally inengagement; electro-magnetie means adapted to break the engagement ofthe points of circuit breaker when energized; two contacts, one of whichis in conducting communication with one of the leads of the coil of saidelectro-magnetic means; a movable member carrying the other of saidcontacts; aconductor for communication with one of the main conductors,expansible to a material degree when carrying a current of abnormalstrength, in conducting relation to one of the points of said circuitbreaker and the said contact of said movable member, and operativelyconnected with the latter to per mit the said contact carried thereby toengage its coacting contact only when said conductor is so expanded;means for connecting the other point of said circuit breaker with theapparatus to be'protected; means for eonnecting'the other lead of saidelectromagnetic means with the other of the main conductors; and. meansfor retaining s'aid movable member with the said two contacts'enga'gingwhen said electro-' magnet is energized by a current of abnormalstrength, substantially as'and forthe purpose set forth.

4. In an electric safety appliance, the combination with two mainconductors, of a circuit breaker having two points normally inengagement; electro-ma'gnetic means adapted to break'the engagement ofthe points or circuit breaker when energized; two contacts, one of whichis incon-' ducting communication with one of the leads of the coil ofsaid electro-magnetic means; a movable member carryin the other of saidcontacts; a conductor or communication with one of the main conductors,ex-

pansible to a material degree when carrying a current of abnormalstrength, in conducting relation to one of the pomts of said circuitbreaker and the said contact of said movable member, and operativelyconnected with the latter to permit the said contact carried thereby toengage its coacting contact only when said conductor is so expanded;means for connectin the other point of said circuit breaker wit theapparatus to be protected; means for connecting the other lead of saidelectro-magnetic means with the a other of the main conductors; and,means for retaining said movable member with said two contacts engagingwhen a current of abnormal strength is bein conducted thereby,substantially as and or the purpose set forth.

5. In an electric safet appliance, the

combination with two main conductors, of

a circuit breaker having two points normally in engagement; electro-magnetic means adapted to break the engagement of the said oints ofsaid circuit breaker when energize two contacts, one of which is inconducting communication with one of the leads of the coil of saidelectro-magnetic means; a movable member carrying the other of saidcontacts; a conductor for communication with one of the main conductors,expansible to a material degree when carrying a current of abnormalstrength, in conducting relation to one of the points of said circuitbreaker and the said contact of said movable member, and operativelyconnected. with the latter to permit the said contact carried thereby toengage its coacting con tact only when said conductor is so expanded;means for connecting the other point of said circuit breaker with theapparatus to be protected; means for coiinecting the other lead of saidelectromagnetic means with thother of the main conductors; and, anarmature operatively connected with said movable member for coactionwiththe core of said electro magnet to retain the said two conductors inengagement when said elcctro-magnbt is energizedby a current ofabnormal'strength, substantially as and for the purpose set-forth.

6. In an electric safety appliance, the combination with two mainconductors, of a circuit breaker having two points normally inengagement; electromagnetic means adapted to break the engagement ofthesaid' points of said circuit breaker when energized; two contacts;one of which is in conducting communication with one of the leads of thecoil of said electro inagnetic ineansf a movable member carrying theother of said contacts; a conductor for communication with one ofthemain conductors, expansible to a material degree when carrying a currentof abnormal strength, in conducting relation to one of the points ofsaid circuit breaker and the said contact of said movable member, andoperatively connected with the latter to permit the said contact carriedthereby to engage its coacting contact only when said conductor is soexpanded; means for connecting the other point of said circuit breakerwith the apparatus to be protected; means for connecting the other leadof said electro-magnetic means with the other of the main conductors;and, an armature carried by said movable member for coaction with thecore of said electromagnet to retain the said two conductorsinengagement when said electro magnet is energized by a current ofabnormal strength.

7. Inan electric safety appliance, the combination of two mainconductors, a circuit breaker having two points normally in engagement;electro-magnetic means adapted to break the engagement of said point ofsaid circuit breaker when energized; two contacts, one of which is inconducting communication with one of the leads of the coil of saidelectro-magnetic means; an oscillatable lever carrying the other of saidcontacts; a thread-like conductor in conducting communication with oneof said main conductors, expansible to a material degree when carrying acurrent of abnormal strength, said thread-like conductor havingconnection intermediate said lever and a stationary point and inconducting relation to one point of said circuitbreaker, and beingtensioned to permit movement of said lever for engagement of the saidtwo contacts only when so expanded; means for connecting the other pointof said circuit breaker with the apparatus to be protected; and, meansfor connecting the other lead of the coil of said electro-magnetic meanswith the other of said main conductors, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

8. In an electric safety appliance, combination with two mainconductors, of a circuit breakerharing two points normally inengagement; electromagnetic means adapted to break the circuit throughsaid circuit breaker When energized; two contacts, niunication with oneof the leads of the coil of 7 said electromagnetic means; anoscillatable lever carrying the other of saidcontacts; a thread-likeconductor for communication with' one of said main conductors,expansible to a material degree When carrying a current of abnormalstrength, said threadlike conductor having adjustahle'connections theone of which is in conducting com-,

intermediate said lever and a stationary po nt and in conductingrelatlon to one point of sa1d clrcult breaker, and being tensioned topermit movement of said lever 'or engagement oi the said two contactsonly when so expanded; means for connecting the other point of saidcircuit breaker with the apparatus to be protected; and,

means for connecting the other lead of said electromagnetic ,means withthe other of said main conductors, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

